DrJohn's Chip Pr0n #42 - Dragonara Palace Malta Clays & plaques (1 Viewer)

[DrJohn]

I was asked by a member of this forum to re-post my casino chip pr0n back from 2009, when I ran a weekly chip pr0n at Chiptalk.net - perhaps some of you remember it. The pictures there are long gone, so I am happy to show them to you here.

You may have seen the Dragonara Palace Malta chips by Bourgogne & Grasset, which I posted earlier. There are also clay chips out there - see below. The plaques are of a rather low quality, though.

 

[DrJohn]

here comes the rest

 

[DrJohn]

here is a view of the casino

 

[Kasper Storrs]

These are stunning. And £ currency too! Very nice. Not at all envious

 

[BiGGyT]

If you ever wish to part with these (especially the plaques) let me know so I can reunite them with their long lost brothers and sisters.
T

 

[BiGGyT]

 

[RedDoorPokerRoom]

These are red hot. Would love to get my hands on a set of my own.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

@DrJohn Very Nice! Especially love the extreme close up pics. Do you still have these chips? How about you @BiGGyT ?

I acquired a nice little set of these myself last year. Thank you to @chipinla for hooking me up!

 

[chipinla]

@DrJohn Very Nice! Especially love the extreme close up pics. Do you still have these chips? How about you @BiGGyT ?

I acquired a nice little set of these myself last year. Thank you to @chipinla for hooking me up!

View attachment 866217

Those look so good!

 

[Okku]

Those 5s are so nice. This is a great set!

 

[BiGGyT]

I still need to clean my 1s that I got from @chipinla but yeah @TX_Golf_N_Poker , I have a few still.

 

[Okku]

I still need to clean my 1s that I got from @chipinla but yeah @TX_Golf_N_Poker , I have a few still.

What are those orange TRKs????????

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

What are those orange TRKs????????

OFF TOPIC!

 

[BiGGyT]

Some random stamped rack. Quit looking in my windows @Okku

 

[chipinla]

@DrJohn Very Nice! Especially love the extreme close up pics. Do you still have these chips? How about you @BiGGyT ?

I acquired a nice little set of these myself last year. Thank you to @chipinla for hooking me up!

View attachment 866217

Not sure if people recognize how Incredible and rare a 514 spot is… so great

 

[Okku]

Some random stamped rack. Quit looking in my windows @Okku

sorry sorry I got curious those are nice though! Old school stamp

 

[DrJohn]

@DrJohn Very Nice! Especially love the extreme close up pics. Do you still have these chips?

Yes, this is one of the sets that I still have. Thanks a lot for the kind feedback!

 

[FDLmold]

For those interested, I had to look it up. You see, when the British Pound decimalized, it became pounds and pence. Malta was a British holding until the early 70s. So I wondered why these chips were in cents and not pence.

Anyway, Malta became independent and adopted the Maltese Lira in 1972-73. They pegged their currency to the pound, and kept both currencies around. They divided their British pound into 100 *cents*. Which is why these chips are in cents.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

For those interested, I had to look it up. You see, when the British Pound decimalized, it became pounds and pence. Malta was a British holding until the early 70s. So I wondered why these chips were in cents and not pence.

Anyway, Malta became independent and adopted the Maltese Lira in 1972-73. They pegged their currency to the pound, and kept both currencies around. They divided their British pound into 100 *cents*. Which is why these chips are in cents.

Cool info. Thanks. There are also various hot stamp chips from the casino in 2 & 5 shillings.

pic courtesy of @chipinla

 

[FDLmold]

Cool info. Thanks. There are also various hot stamp chips from the casino in 2 & 5 shillings.

pic courtesy of @chipinla

View attachment 866439

These are likely pre-1973 and pre-independence, with the shillings and all. (2/- is 1/10 of a pound, and 5/- is 1/4 of a pound, since there were 20 shillings in a pound pre-decimalization)

 

[VivasTable]

I randomly searched Malta and found this thread. Dragonara is the first Casino I ever gambled in when I was 18 while on holiday. My Uncle was a Croupier for 20+ years there as well. I spent every summer in Malta until my late 20's when I got married. Our "2nd" wedding was at the Westin Dragonara as well. I've not been in 4 years now and hope to get back summer of 2023. If you ever want to put a sample set together, I'd really like one. I assume they are pretty rare though so no pressure ha.

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

I randomly searched Malta and found this thread. Dragonara is the first Casino I ever gambled in when I was 18 while on holiday. My Uncle was a Croupier for 20+ years there as well. I spent every summer in Malta until my late 20's when I got married. Our "2nd" wedding was at the Westin Dragonara as well. I've not been in 4 years now and hope to get back summer of 2023. If you ever want to put a sample set together, I'd really like one. I assume they are pretty rare though so no pressure ha.

@chipinla may still have a few, or may acquire some more at some time. They're one of my favorite sets to put in play. Really neat chips with some good history,

 

[BiGGyT]

@VivasTable maybe you or your uncle can tell us which plaques go with which chip sets. For example, did these chips exist together? Were the jetons used on some tables and chips on others? Just seems odd there are 5 jetons and 5 chips.
I might have a few of these.....

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

@VivasTable maybe you or your uncle can tell us which plaques go with which chip sets. For example, did these chips exist together? Were the jetons used on some tables and chips on others? Just seems odd there are 5 jetons and 5 chips.
I might have a few of these.....

I just went to the Dragonara ChipGuide page and it has been recently reorganized and looks like quite a few new additions have been inserted. This may answer some of your questions.

http://chipguide.themogh.org/cg_chip2.php?id=M2STD1&p=11010000000&v=2536933262#190

Also, if you ever decide to sell any of your 25 cent chips, I would love to get the chance to buy them.

 

[chipinla]

@chipinla may still have a few, or may acquire some more at some time. They're one of my favorite sets to put in play. Really neat chips with some good history,

I should know quantities soon. I believe the next shipment that I’ve been waiting on forever will be purple £5s and a bunch of hotstamps.

 

[VivasTable]

@VivasTable maybe you or your uncle can tell us which plaques go with which chip sets. For example, did these chips exist together? Were the jetons used on some tables and chips on others? Just seems odd there are 5 jetons and 5 chips.
I might have a few of these.....

I will ask him and send him your photo if thats ok? Would it make sense if the jetons were used for only Baccarat? Not sure if the chipguide displays what games they are used for, I couldnt find the info myself when i was looking yesterday. It does have a ton of photo's though which is nice.

 

[BiGGyT]

I just went to the Dragonara ChipGuide page and it has been recently reorganized and looks like quite a few new additions have been inserted. This may answer some of your questions.

http://chipguide.themogh.org/cg_chip2.php?id=M2STD1&p=11010000000&v=2536933262#190

Also, if you ever decide to sell any of your 25 cent chips, I would love to get the chance to buy them.

Unfortunately I only have 3 and one is discolored to a lighter green. If @chipinla gets more, I have a standing dibs

@VivasTable you can share my pic.

 

[chipinla]

Maybe I should auction off this lonely single I still have haha

 

[VivasTable]

@VivasTable maybe you or your uncle can tell us which plaques go with which chip sets. For example, did these chips exist together? Were the jetons used on some tables and chips on others? Just seems odd there are 5 jetons and 5 chips.
I might have a few of these.....

Here is what he sent me, it’s not super descriptive but sheds some light at least.

Clay chips in front row were the value chips used on American roulette and black jack. Jetons and placards were used on French roulette and Baccarat. Started use 1970 when Malta changed currency from sterling to Decimal - Maltese Lira. Regards to ALL the family

 

[VivasTable]

More fun facts (these are from me)

My entire extended family all live in Malta and only My Mom, Dad & brother live in the States. In Malta, Maltese citizens residing in Malta had to be a minimum age of 25 yrs old to enter a Casino, let alone gamble. While both of my parents are Maltese born and raised, I was born and raised in the U.S. Even though I am a dual citizen, I carried both passports and is why I was able to enter and gamble when I was 18. I guess they didnt want young minds developing gambling habits at such a young age.

The Maltese Lira held a value of roughly 3x the USD when it was in existance. So, gambling with it felt small but really wasnt.